Stephen Strasburg Debut: Rookie Leads Youth Movement to Washington, D.C. Sports

Stephen Strasburg will make his MLB debut at 7:05 ET Tuesday in perhaps the most exciting Washington, D.C. event to take place since the Obama inauguration. 

Although it will not break any glass ceilings, Strasburg's debut will mark the beginning of a potentially groundbreaking movement for the D.C. sports scene. 

Acknowledging the inflow of young talent into D.C. in Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and John Wall, one might suggest D.C., like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, could become one of the top U.S. sports cities in the not-too-terribly-distant future.

At this point, the Strasburg debut is most significant. 

Strasburg is young, talented, and ready. He is on a Major League roster, and has a sizable contract.

Harper and Wall, University of Kentucky's one-year wonder and this year's top NBA prospect, are still in the "maybe" column.

Yes, the Washington Nationals drafted Harper Monday and, yes, the Washington Wizards had the first pick in the 2010 NBA draft, but, as most sports analysts would agree, coaches and franchises must be extremely cautious in putting a lot of stock in their prospects. 

That being said, the addition of Harper and Wall to Washington teams will improve the city's sports landscape, regardless of where its young guns end up. 

To get an idea of how these new athletes will impact D.C., ask yourself this: Where was Cleveland before LeBron James? 

A complete mapping of the changes that will take place in D.C. is too detailed a subject to deal with for now. 

We just have to wait; if Strasburg pitches well Tuesday, and if Harper and Wall shine like the gems they are, we should be hearing a lot more about D.C. in the next decade.